General Trading in the UAE

Key points

Office options in the UAE range from flexi-desk, office suite or warehouse, so you only pay for the space your visa quota actually needs. the UAE is located in Located in Ajman emirate, 25 km from Dubai International Airport, and the authority's processing time for a standard file is around 3 working days. One of the reasons we suggest the UAE is its among the most affordable in the UAE, which matters more than most founders realise once the business is running.

Step by step

1. 
   Step 1

   Consultation and activity selection

   Importantly, in the first call we check that the UAE lists your activity, settle the licence type and match the visa package and office to what you actually need.

2. 
   Step 2

   Name reservation and initial approval

   GoldenKey reserves your trade name with the the UAE authority and obtains initial approval, usually within one to two business days. Your portal shows the status of this step for starting a general trading company in the UAE in real time.

3. 
   Step 3

   Document submission and payment

   You sign the file and memorandum, we file the attested paperwork with the UAE and the authority's licence fee is paid.

4. 
   Step 4

   Licence issued and next steps

   the UAE issues the licence, incorporation certificate and lease; from there we open the establishment card, process visas and arrange your bank introduction. If the authority raises a query on starting a general trading company in the UAE at this stage, we handle it the same day.

Documents required

The document list for starting a general trading company in the UAE is short, and most clients already have everything on it.

• List of intended product categories
• Attested parent-company documents and a board resolution if the shareholder is a company
• A short business plan or activity description for certain professional activities
• Your current UAE residence visa and Emirates ID copy if you are a UAE resident
• The UAE entry stamp or visa page if you are already in the country
• Proof of address such as a utility bill or bank statement, requested by some zones

Pricing

Pricing for starting a general trading company in the UAE depends on the package you choose; every option below includes GoldenKey's service and the government fees stated. Use the table below to compare packages for starting a general trading company in the UAE; we will confirm the exact total for your case in a written quotation.

Pricing available on request — message us for a written quotation.

Where to license general trading

General trading covers multiple unrelated product lines, which is why some authorities price it above a single-line trading licence. Restricted goods such as pharmaceuticals, tobacco and precious metals still need their own approvals.

Ajman Free ZoneOne of the UAE's most affordable free zones — 0-visa packa…IFZA Free ZoneDubai's fastest-growing free zone — multi-activity licence…RAKEZRAK's all-in-one economic zone — business, industrial and …JAFZAJebel Ali — the world's largest free zone and gateway to g…Ajman mainlandGoldenKey's home emirate — one of the most affordable main…

Examples of this activity

• Electronics
• Building materials
• FMCG
• Furniture
• Spare parts

General Trading guides by nationality

IndianPakistaniBritishRussianChineseNigerianSaudiEgyptianKenyanGermanSingaporeanOmaniFrenchItalianSpanishPortugueseDutchBelgianSwissAustrianSwedishNorwegianDanishFinnishIcelandicIrishPolishCzechSlovakHungarianRomanianBulgarianGreekCroatianSerbianSlovenianUkrainianEstonianLatvianLithuanianAmericanCanadianAustralianNew ZealanderJapaneseSouth KoreanTurkishMalaysianIndonesianThaiVietnameseFilipinoBangladeshiSouth AfricanEmiratiQatari

Why the UAE

Since 2021, most mainland activities have allowed 100% foreign ownership, and free zones have always offered it, so starting a general trading company in the UAE no longer requires a local partner. Day to day, there are no restrictions on repatriating profits or capital, so earnings from starting a general trading company in the UAE can be moved to your home country or reinvested freely.

Why GoldenKey

Our office is a short drive from the Ajman Free Zone, Ajman DED and the immigration centre, so physical submissions for starting a general trading company in the UAE happen the same day they are ready. As a rule, you deal with one named case manager from the first call until your the UAE licence, visa and bank introduction are complete, and that consultant answers your WhatsApp messages personally. GoldenKey builds its own CRM and client portal, so you can see the status of your the UAE submission, download your documents and pay invoices from your phone.

Frequently asked questions